*I do not own Code Geass or any of the characters!!!!
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It was a few days before my fourteenth birthday and I was spending it in Italy with my older brother, Clovis.
"What do you want for your birthday, Lelouch?" he smiled and fiddled with my hair.
"Nothing..."
"Don't lie, you want something."
"No...I really don't." I walked over to the window of our hotel and looked out. "Could we go to Treviso? It seems nice..."
"Yes yes little brother, but there's something I would like to speak with you about."
I sighed and looked over my shoulder at Clovis who was now toying with the remote, trying to balance it on his finger. "Is this something more to do with what brother would like you to speak with me about? Because I know that you despise discussing political matters and anything to do with people other than yourself."
"Ah, yes yes little brother."
"Stop saying that, it's annoying."
"Well, you're at an age where you are in need of protection. Since you'll be spending a lot of time doing public speakings because of how smart you are, you're going to have to have someone by your side."
"A knight?"
"Yes, a knight." he dropped the remote and frowned. "Oh, poo...I almost had it."
"Stop fooling around, what else? Is that it? I really don't want a knight."
"Don't argue, Lelouch. We've had a few people arrange a list of the top military men and women that are capable of fighting for you and by your side."
"And where is this list?" I folded my arms and leaned against the window.
"On the computer." he reached into the closet and removed his laptop, sitting down and pulling up a page. "Come over here, I'm not going to read this to you."
"I didn't expect that you would." I walked over and sat on the bed, crossing my legs. "It has their bio's?"
"Yes, their skills, their weaknesses, all of that fun stuff."
"Huh..." I looked over the list. "How many people?"
"Twelve."
I scrolled down, reading the names on the list. Everyone on the list was Britannian or American.
"I don't mean to be rude and disrespectful, but these men and women seem slightly...old."
"Old?"
"Well, not old...but, they're all over thirty fiv-." I cut off mid sentence when I got down to the bottom of the pages. "Kururugi..." I whispered, mostly to myself. His bio was amazing. The training he'd had, the skills he had...and he was still only thirteen. "It can't be the same Kururugi...Though, he is the right age...But he does have cousins with the last named Kururugi that are the same age...I doubt his father would let him even consider being a knight for someone when he has it made right there in the Kururugi family..."
I closed the computer and got up, "Let's go." I couldn't think about him right now.
"Did you decide?" he smiled and put the computer back into the closet. "Because if you did, I want to know who!"
"I haven't decided. Now isn't the time. I came out here for a vacation, not for work."
"Hm, alright. Then let's go to Treviso."
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We were there off-season so there weren't a lot of tourists and it was a little wet and snowy out. I wanted to just wander around and see the sights and all of the small, beautiful towns that I could.
"We should'a go get some a'pizza and some a'pasta!" Clovis faked a poor attempt at an Italian accent.
"That sounds racist, Clovis. And if you had any ounce of intelligence you'd know that Italy isn't all about pizza and pasta. There are other things to eat here and not all, if any, Italians speak like that."
"Then how do they speak, your highness?" we walked together and I took a few pictures of some buildings.
"You've been here long enough to know...and besides- I don't know how to explain it. It's sort of a handsome accent, kinda sexy..."
"That's because you're queer!"
"What a crude word." I stopped and turned to look at him. "Besides, you're one to talk."
"Great comeback, little brother. So if there's more to eat here than pasta and pizza, show me something worth wile." he wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead.
"Let go. You're so ill-mannered." I shoved him off and walked away. "Anyways, Clovis, it's too early to eat..."
"Oh, poo."
We walked together some more until I got tired. I'd used up two rolls of film and by that time it was around lunch. Clovis dragged me to a stand on the side of the road.
"What's this?" he looked at the sign.
I sighed. "It's in Italian, Clovis...It's not that hard to read...it says 'sandwich'." I pointed to the word panino. "It's like panini."
"Oh!" he smiled and looked at the man in the stand and held up two fingers. "Due!"
"You can say 'two' but you can't say 'sandwich'?"
"That is correct little brother! I'm sorry that my pea-brain isn't as educated as yours in these fields, but you know, I have a life!"
"I'm sorry as well...for myself mainly, it's no fun having just you to converse with constantly. I mean really...you're either talking about sex or...well, I can honestly say that's the only thing that comes to mind when I try and think of things that you talk about."
"I've talked about more today than just sex!" he handed me a sandwich and smiled.
"True, but any other time it wouldn't matter- sex would be the main topic." I stared to walk with him and then suddenly stopped and looked down at the sandwich I was about to bite into. "What...is this...Is this, lampredotto...?" I looked at the hard roll and the meat inside of it.
"I don't know, it smells good! What's lampredotto anyways?" he took a bite.
"It's...cow stomach..." I looked at the green sauce on top of the slices and took a bite before thinking again about what I was holding. It was good, if you didn't think about it.
"Oh my...that's gross..." he took another bite and dragged me into the hotel.
"It may be to people that aren't used to eating things like this, but it all depends on culture." I sat down and yawned. "We should pack."
"You should finish eating your stomach so that you can gain some weight in your stomach!" he laughed.
"What? I don't need to gain any weight. Please, for once, stop being so immature and help me pack up our things so that we can leave tomorrow morning."
"Oh okay- but while we're on the plain, you must make a decision about who you would like for your knight."
"Sure sure." I packed up some of my clothing and left out my bathroom things, knowing that I would need them in the morning. "May I ask a question, brother?" I sat on the floor and folded my legs.
"Of course."
"Why did you call me a queer?"
"Well aren't you?"
"No, why would I be queer?"
"I've seen the way you daydream, that nostalgic look you get when you unconsciously doodle the initials 'S and L' on a piece of your school paper and other little things."
"How does that make me queer?!" I found myself getting defensive and tried to calm down.
"Oh, poor poor Lelouch...He'll never understand the sexual desires that lie in his subconscious thoughts!"
I sighed, understanding what he meant and ignoring his rude remark. It's not like I'd had feeling for boys really, it was just that I chose people based on personality and all around appearance. I had, in fact, gone on dates, but they were mostly dates arranged by my older siblings. The first time Clovis had arranged a date for me, he arranged it with a boy. Neither one of us were expecting the other, so we sort of just sat there for an hour before getting up and saying goodbye.
Why dates at thirteen? Well, I suppose my family wants me to find a bride so that I can either continue the family, bring in more money from another important family, or it's another way of getting me out of their hair after I turn seventeen. Either way, I didn't enjoy the dates I went on. One date I did make an interesting friend from the Ashford family. According to Clovis, the Ashford family was very close with my mother- so it was only right to befriend their daughter, Milly.
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I'd been training, training for a long time. Nothing was about to stop me from seeing him again. There wasn't much about him in the papers and things that I'd seen while working for Lloyd Asplund- but I was sure- no- I was positive that he would pick me out of the line of men and women.
"Tomorrow's the big day, Suzaku." Miss Cécile smiled at me.
"Yes it is." I smiled back.
"Are you nervous?"
"A little, but I'm sure it will go well."
"I wish you the best of luck, Suzaku. But I hate to see you go." she smiled again.
"Well, I will miss you if I am chosen- but I'll always keep in touch." I gave her a quick hug and left for the night.
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When I woke up in the morning, I showered and put on the clothing that was laid out for me by Clovis. I was dressed in a white outfit with a light purple dress shirt. The jacket I wore draped down to my white slacks- it was trimmed in blue and I had on dark purple gloves.
"Your tie is crooked." Clovis fixed my white and blue striped tie and tucked it back into my shirt. "There."
"Thank you, now- let's go." I took my bags and went to open the door. Once I opened it, prepared to go downstairs, I was stopped by a man with a cart.
"May I take your bags?" he smiled over excitedly.
"Yes! Thank you!" Clovis handed him our bags and a big tip and grinned as he took me by the arm and walked me to the elevator. "Take advantage of these things little brother, they're going to appear for you all over the place at random times. But not just because you're of royal blood, oh no- because you're gorgeous like me!" he smiled and pressed the down button.
"Unlike you and the rest of our family, I'd like to do things on my own for a change. It is nice to have someone weight on you hand and foot, but where's the alone time? The independence?" I frowned and fiddled with the buttons on my sleeves.
The elevator dinged and we exited with the man pushing the car behind us. A cab would drive us to the airport, and we would get on the private jet that was arranged for us. I must say, I did enjoy the private jet. There were only a few other people around and it was quiet enough so that I could read and maybe even take a nap.
"Okay Lelouch, now don't lay down when you take a nap or else it will wrinkle and I don't have time to iron it or have someone iron it. Once we get there we're off the plane and straight over to the knighting ceremony."
"Why don't you have a knight?"
"I don't have a desire for one, when do I ever leave? With the exception of our little trips I mean. Besides, you take care of all of my business and just tell me what to say and to who." he smiled and handed me a glass of champagne.
"I don't drink." I handed it back. "I suppose you're right- I handle everything that you're suppose to do...But I hardly ever leave either. Do I really require to have a knight?"
"Yes you do. Trust me on this one. You'll thank me later." he smiled.
I sighed and took out a book.
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I stood in line and stared straight forward with everyone else. I was shorter than the rest, but I knew I was stronger. My face was blank and my hands were straight down at my sides. I was in my orange military outfit. The other people were in their military uniforms as well, but they were higher ranks than I was.
"Announcing, Prince Lelouch vi Britannia!" a man announced and we all stiffened.
I felt goosebumps rise on my arms as I heard his footsteps approach. He stopped and looked at everyone, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, me, ten, eleven, twelve. When he got to me, I looked over his shoulder and straight past him. Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw the expression of his face change to a pleased look. Hope rose in me that he might have recognized me.
He walked away and stood over by his two older brothers, Prince Clovis and Prince Schneizel. His older sister, Princess Cornelia was there as well. They exchanged some words and all looked over at the line of us that were desperately waiting for his decision. It must have been hard on him though, only thirteen and being told that he has to stand there and chose one out of twelve people to be his knight after just meeting them.
Suddenly, Prince Schneizel had a disapproving look upon his face and seemed to become frustrated with his younger sibling.
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"Well if you don't want him to be my knight, why was he put onto the list? Did you not go over the list? What is it any of your business anyways who I chose! As long as I'm protected by the person it shouldn't matter what race they are and who their family is." I folded my arms and stared into my brothers eyes.
"Fine, Lelouch, if that is what you want- that is what you shall have. Please make your announcement."
"Thank you." I walked slowly past the line of solders and stopped in front of number nine. "Kururugi. I've chosen you as my knight. You will serve me and protect me until you are dismissed or told so otherwise."
I watched him kneel down onto one knee and lock his gaze onto the ground. "Thank you, your highness. I will do my best to serve you and protect you at any cost." he stood up and still held a blank expression on his face.
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And so it was done, I was Lelouch's knight. But even so, I wasn't sure he recognized me. We had both grown up very much in the past four years. Either way, I remembered him- the sweet innocent kisses we had shared, the times I had saved his ass from getting beat up and from his death. He would remember me...
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Hey, so I've never had a knight...I'm not sure how you appoint a knight. Even if there is a traditional way to appoint a knight, this is Code Geass. I'm sure anything goes. Ne? =]
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